The toughest and most complex issue we have addressed during the legislative session is immigration reform. Boiled down to its simplest elements, the discussion has really been about an enforcement only approach versus a more comprehensive approach with guest worker options.

The push for an enforcement-style approach has been led by Rep. Steve Sandstrom (R-Orem). His bill is titled HB 497 Utah Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act and as its title suggests, its key element is an enforcement push by law enforcement. It also includes enforcement provisions for anyone that might try to induce an illegal immigrant to come to Utah and a requirement that legal status be documented by any state or local government agency offering a license or public benefit of any type. HB 497, after much debate and a conference committee to settle differences, passed the House and Senate.

Rep. Bill Wright (R-Holden) is sponsoring a bill that would address the issue from a more comprehensive economic point of view. HB 116 Utah Immigration Accountability and Enforcement Amendments seeks to institute a state-administered guest worker program. It would require illegal immigrants to register and obtain a work permit. Renewal of permits would be contingent on several factors. Collection of taxes from the guest workers and new provisions for illegal immigrant students and children of guest work permit holder to receive in-state tuition rates are also included.

Also included in the bill are new penalties for employers that fail to verify the lawful presence of employees and requirements that police check the immigration status of people detained or arrested for felonies and class A misdemeanors. It gives police the discretion to check the status for those suspected of class B and class C misdemeanors. In order for the guest worker portion to be implemented, Utah would need to receive a federal waiver; something no state has yet received. This bill was the subject of much debate and includes many elements from an earlier omnibus bill (SB288) proposed by Sen. Curt Bramble (R-Provo). HB 116 passed the House and Senate and is awaiting action by the Governor.

A second guest worker bill, HB 466 Migrant Workers and Related Commission Amendments championed by Rep. Sandstrom and Sen. Bramble would take advantage of a migrant worker provision in federal law that would not require a federal waiver. The bill would authorize a skilled guest worker program to be set up between Utah and the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon. The program would run as a pilot project for one-year, but could be renewed if it proves successful. This bill has passed the House and Senate and is awaiting the Governor’s action.

This is a very emotionally fraught issue, but the Legislature has attempted to address the issue with a multifaceted approach that recognizes the rule of law, economic realities and human frailties. No other issue has received more attention this year than immigration and compromise won the day. I believe we have made some progress, but there is more work to be done.

Brad Wilson represents House District 15 in Davis County. He can be reached at Bradwilson@ utah.gov during the legislative session.

If you readers will look up your constitution and see that your constitution already defines your state and vaguely defines your citizens and the power of your citizens inherent in the writing ,you will also see that it limits access to your state by others. I see this bill as a road to amnesty and I think that you should see the census bureau for the nightmare increase in hispanic numbers, which doesn't mention the unbelievbaable number sof illegal asians in our cities now either. at 20% plus increase in some areas and even more in other areas ,think again about a few men at the top ignoring your state constitution to protect a few labor employers.

The truth is we already have federal laws which are being ignored by Eric Holder and Obama. They are also Ignored by Janet Napolotino who did state recently that we are under the worst terrorism threat ever....To make this very clear to you , just let me say I know several people from the middle east in our area that are fluent in Spanish.....meaning our borders are very porous to others than Hispanics...

Beware ,We know not what we are doing by our methods alone.

Before we go about defining the access these people have INTO OUR STATES, think again that the Federal Laws already describe this intrusion and the role the AG of the US has to circumvent it. More laws should not be necessary. The laws state we are supposed to be protected. The laws state we are states with sovereignty OVER OUR LAND---NOT THAT WE HAVE TO GIVE IT AWAY PER THE LEGISLATORS.Your Legislators are supposed to be protecting you and your lands per every description of their place and description of our governement OR YOU CAN GET RID OF THEM...AND YOUR LAWS!....Mark that when you call or write your legislators.....So to be sure, your State government is enacting laws of TREASON here.....there is no other word for it. They are agreeing that they have given up trying to protect your lands(first preamble of a STATE) and then theya re saying they ahve given up protecting your borders from invasion (why have a state or government0 and thirdly, they are saying that YOU DO NOT MATTER MUCH TO THEM BECUASE SOME OF THEIR CRONNIES ARE MAKING MONEY OFF THESE LABORERS so your position as a Resident citizen doesn't mean much.....

SO.....If you take a few other glances at your state constituion you can see that this act is also called aiding and abetting the enemy who is taking over your land , and therefore is an act of TREASON. How so, the legislators may say?

This law supports illegal activity into the state, by vicarious means...It doesn't limit the laws to support our laws...The law supercedes the US constitution and your own state constitution. It does not protect your land. It does not protect your people or kindred, nor any other US citizens right to own land. In other words, your legislators have reached out their arms to say they have the right to enact laws for citizens of other countries OVER your rights to your state ALONE...to say that you have less an interest now....while your constitution specifically describes your autonomy and sovereignty to ownership, control and occupation, as well as governance. Is this what you want to do? Enable your legislative branch to dictate the description of your state BEyond the existing constitution? Or do you think these laws constitute TREASON?

WHile we may have good feelings about our neighbors, give them no quarter to our our sovereignty. Do not welcome their lawlessness. Make sure their words are truth. Make way their return home FOR THIS IS NOT THEIR LAND! DO NOT MAKE IT SO!

Instaed make sure our laws describe their EXIT. remember they have the support of Mexico, and just because they chose to come here illegally, this is not our responsibility no matter how large our heart. They have a government and family IN their own Country! THEY QUALIFY FOR FREE HEALTH CARE THERE...SO WHY GIVE IT TO THEM HERE . IF THEY TRAVEL TO MEXICO EASILY AS THEY SAY, 2- 3 TIMES PER YEAR THEN THEY CAN EASILY TRAVEL TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY FOR HEALTH CARE ALSO! IT'S FREE TO THEM THERE! Also, they have family in Mexico....so why aren't their families helping them with Jobs??? Is this a point of truth? yes it is. MAny have houses in Mexico...and many own acreage....I have been told they come here and take our jobs , for six months and then go back to enjoy their homestead for the rest of the years'six months without working while we slave to make ends meet to provide free health care and food stamps ,etc for all their that come here! THEY HAVE THEIR OWN COUNTRY, LET THEm USE THEIR OWN LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND LEARN THEIR OWn LAWS!

To which your legislators are trying to make their way sure...at the cost of your State, your Homesated, your family's demise as you work way too much to have a fmaily life. we need to take care of our own...get out and find out where the money is going to take care of your neighbors, not the Illegal trespassers. Make sure your government is protecting your birthright ownership of Utah and the USA. Wake up ! Get rid of the enemy now. Remeber that Texas alone saw a 2.925 million increase in illegals since 2000...and their governor does nothing to support therir people! That is a city of illegals the size of Dallas, Texas!...Is this what you want to do to your children's future? It used to be we had to figure out how to make it to retirement with funds....now it is how to be survive the onslaught of illegals all our lives...the joy of being an American is gone. We have much to fear now. We did not when our Legislators and Government were doing the right thing and kept illegals OUT OF AMERICA. !